There is advertising copy everywhere. On everything. On shampoo bottles and cereal boxes. On clothing labels and bank statements. All of that copy out there was thoughtfully and lovingly crafted by some professional writer, toiling away in an anonymous cubicle in some large generic ad agency.

A lot of it's not bad, and therefore it can make great practice copy for a voice over artist. Read it out loud, at full voice, and add interpretation. Package copy can be a rich source of practice material for you.

But, as graduates of our Essentials of Voice Over Class know, voice over scripts written specifically for radio or television are creatures all their own. They have a certain structure and rhythm. They're usually 30 or 60 seconds long, with distinct beginnings, middles and ends. They're written to be spoken, not read.

That's why we offer professional voice over scripts in the VON Shop. Each of our Practice Packs includes three scripts, two exercises and a producer's read based on a particular commercial category. Retail and PSA Practice Packs are currently available, with Health Care and others to come. They're inexpensive, and they make a great supplement to the shampoo bottles and cereal boxes.